Padding device for heavy equipment

ABSTRACT

An improved lightweight padding device for heavy equipment with improved corrosion protection and abrasion resistance wherein the padding device has a planar top, a planar bottom and four sides perpendicular to the planar top and planar bottom and the outer surface is composed of a two part elastomer of polyurea. The interior of the device is composed of expanded polystyrene.

REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This application claims the priority of provisional application60/840,316, filed Aug. 24, 2006 entitled IMPROVED PADDING DEVICE FORHEAVY EQUIPMENT by Richard Bell.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of padding devicesfor heavy equipment.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Equipment pads are known in the art to provide a safe place to placeheavy, sensitive equipment, particularly equipment used in the HVAC andair conditioning industries. Typically, these pads are heavy, difficultto move and complex in their construction.

The present invention seeks to overcome the limitations of the prior artby providing a sturdy, corrosion resistant pad that is lightweight andsimple.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,394 to Sweeney describes an equipment base or padthat includes a rigid board of expanded polystyrene and top/sidesurfaces of a reinforced coating of polyurethane bonded to a non-wovenfabric. This invention is covered with cement, making the deviceextremely heavy.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,768 to Wilderan et al. teaches a dieboard/board forsupporting sheets at a die punch formed of a layer of polyurea-celluloseand a surface layer of polyvinyl chloride. This invention is atransformer pad that has inserts in it. It is a laminated die boardstructure and is not designed for production or construction. It is verycomplex in its design.

The instant invention wishes to fill the need for a simple, strong andlightweight equipment pad that does not exist in the prior art. Expandedpolystyrene is used for strength and lightweight characteristics on theinterior of the invention. Expanded polystyrene is a generic term forpolystyrene and styrene copolymers that are expanded into a variety ofuseful products. It is supplied to molders in the form of a polystyrenebead. These beads are loaded with a blowing agent, usually pentane, andother chemical agents and additives that give the beads expansionvibrancy and allow them to be processed and molded into low-density foamarticles.

Expanded polystyrene has shock absorbing qualities; it is a low-costmaterial and it has high insulating properties. It has attractivecushioning characteristics, dimensional stability and thermal andmoisture resistance. Expanded polystyrene has been described by Sweeneyin the '394 patent, but the '394 patent suffers in mass because it iscovered with cement.

To overcome this shortcoming, the instant invention utilizes a polyureaelastomer to coat the expanded polystyrene core, giving it abrasion andcorrosion resistance while maintaining its lightweight state.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An improved padding device for heavy equipment is disclosed comprisingan interior portion composed of expanded polystyrene and an exteriorportion. The exterior portion further comprises a planar top surface, aplanar bottom surface, four side surfaces, with the side surfaces beingperpendicular to the planar top surface and the planar bottom surfacewherein the exterior portion is coated with a two part elastomer ofpolyurea for corrosion protection and abrasion resistance.

Polyurea elastomers are relatively new to the materials field. They havebeen formulated to produce high performance, rapid curing coatings andcaulks that can be applied in adverse climates that would normallyinhibit the use of other conventional chemistries. It is the inherentlyrapid reaction rate of isocyanates and amines that allows for the uniquegel and cure rates that enables the consistent application of polyureaelastomeres over a broad temperature and humidity range.

The many successful case histories and the truly unique performance andprocessing characteristics of polyurea have made it a technology thatcan compete in niche areas once exclusively held by the more maturecoating systems. In many cases, polyurea coatings and polyurethanecoatings are mixed together. Thus, polyurethane coatings have become ageneric term for coating systems based on polyisocyanate reaction.

Polyurea coatings normally use amines as co-reactants to react withisocyanates. This reaction is extremely fast (within a few seconds orminutes). As a result polyurea coatings tend to have a very limited potlife and their recoat time becomes a problem in cases when multiplecoats occur. A polyurea linkage, however, will have better heat and hightemperature resistance than a polyurethane system with polyols asco-reactants.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the invention identified as 2in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention has a basic structure. The device 10 is basicallyrectangular in its configuration with an exterior portion 11 and aninterior portion 12. There is a top surface 13, a bottom surface 14 andfour sidewalls 15, 16, 17, 18. The exterior portion 11 is composed of atwo-part polyurea elastomer for abrasion resistance, durability andlightweight construction. The interior portion 12 is composed ofexpanded polystyrene for its lightweight characteristics.

The top view in FIG. 3 illustrates how the corners 19, 20, 21, 22 have arounded configuration. These rounded corners can also bee seen in FIG.1.

The illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatorypurposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.This disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principlesof the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit and scope ofthe invention and/or claims of the embodiment illustrated. Those skilledin the art will make modifications to the invention for particularapplications of the invention.

1. An improved padding device for heavy equipment comprising an interiorportion composed of expanded polystyrene; and an exterior portion,wherein said exterior portion is coated with a two part elastomer ofpolyurea for corrosion protection and abrasion resistance.
 2. Anequipment padding device as defined in claim 1 wherein said exteriorportion further comprises a top surface; and a bottom surface.
 3. Anequipment padding device as defined in claim 2 wherein said exteriorportion further comprises four side surfaces, said side surfaces beingperpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface.